


Finding Them

by Foxtrotbeastbot



Category: Zootopia (2016)
Genre: Adoption, Death, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-31
Updated: 2017-11-26
Packaged: 2018-07-28 09:02:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,541
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7634125
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Foxtrotbeastbot/pseuds/Foxtrotbeastbot
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>How each of Felicity's children came to be her own, starting with Jack. (going to be more chapters as we go)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jack

The Rainforest District; the second hottest climate in Zootopia and easily the wettest. Felicity Brush had been looking through this area for apartments for well over a month now, trying to find a place that would rent to a fox college student. It was still early morning, but Felicity had all but given up the search. No mammal was willing to rent to a fox...Pulling out her cell phone with a sigh, she dialed her mother's number.

"Felicity?" came her mom's voice. "You okay baby? Awfully early for you to call isn't it? Any luck?"

"No Momma. No one around here will rent to me. They say they don't want the place to be torn to shreds or musked up. I'm a vixen! I don't even have musk!" she ran her dulled claws through the tuft of fur at her forehead. "I'm sorry momma, I think I'm gonna have to stay at home a little longer..."

"Oh don't you worry baby, I don't mind!" "I know Momma, I just-" she stopped mid sentence, her large ears picking up an odd sound. She lowered the phone, trying to pick up the- there it was again!

"Feli? Felicity baby, what's going on? Are you there?" Mrs. Kiboko's voice came through the phone.

"Sorry Momma. I heard something. It sounded like a baby crying." Felicity muttered. Such a sound could have easily come from anywhere in the district, but this just didn't sound right to the young fox. It was too strained, too scared, too bizarre a sound. "I'm going to check it out. I'll call you back." without waiting for a reply, she hung up, stuffing the device back in her pocket and cocking her ears to catch the sound again. It was almost a half hour later before she found the source of the noise, and she almost wished she hadn't. A tiny kangaroo joey was curled up under the shelter of a leafy fern, shivering from fear and cold. Just behind him, Felicity could see the body of a female kangaroo, a lovely grey creature now sprawled on the ground, her limbs at strange angles. She was cold and stiff, dead for quite some time. Every so often the little roo would crawl towards the corpse, pushing it with his tiny paws and letting out the same pitiful cry that had led the vixen to him. Felicity pulled out her phone again, Dialing 911 to report the scene and hoping her mother wouldn't mind if she was a bit late.

The ZPD were on the scene in minutes, setting up crime scene tape around the kangaroo and ushering Felicity away to keep her from leaving too many prints. "Do you think it was a murder Officer?" she asked a large imposing tigress. The cat shook her head.

"More likely she was a tourist who went off the trail and slipped. Happens more than you'd think. What's that you've got?" she asked, looking at the little bundle in Felicity's arms. The vixen had wrapped the joey in her sweater to keep him warm, trying to comfort the poor thing.

"I think it's her baby. He led me here with his crying." Explained Felicity. The Tigress shook her head sadly.

"Poor little thing. Makes things harder here too. Orphanages are full up all over the city." she sighed. "We can't look after it."

"I will." Felicity said quickly. The officers all stopped and stared, one elephant officer snorting through his trunk.

"You fox? Get real."

"I'm serious." Felicity replied firmly. "Look, I was an orphan too once. I don't want to see this poor guy get lost in the foster system if he's got no one else."

"Looks like it doesn't." a wolf officer said, holding up a wallet. "The victim's. Says here she was a widow." Felicity clutched the joey tighter, looking imploringly at the tigress.

"Officer Please." she pleaded. "He needs someone..." The tigress looked her up and down slowly before sighing and giving a nod.

"Alright. Less paperwork for me anyway. Officer Howlin, Please give these two a ride home."

Hours later, Martha Kiboko was shocked to hear her back door open, the sound of claws on linoleum announcing her adopted daughter's return.

"Oh there you are baby girl!" she called, hefting herself from her chair and heading for the kitchen. "I was getting worried. where have you-" the old hippo cow stopped in her tracks, staring at the young vixen. She was covered in mud, her coat bedraggled and mussed and her backpack turned around to her front. But the most shocking thing was the little head sticking out of the pack; a little joey, only barely covered in fur, his eyes still shut. Felicity looked up at her mother plaintively.

"He had no one else Momma...." she croaked. "I couldn't just....The cops said it wasn't a problem..." Martha held up a hoof, forestalling any explanations.

"Come on, you two need a bath and then this sweet baby needs a feeding. I'll sew him a proper pouch for you to wear tonight." The little joey was given the name Jack and Felicity never let him out of her sigh for a moment; carrying him to school in a specially made pouch, feeding him, rocking him, even changing him. She pushed harder to get a place of her own, finally securing a small two bedroom place from a kindly fruit bat. So long as she paid her rent on time, the landlady didn't mind that Felicity was a fox or that she had a kangaroo for a son.


	2. Finding Danny

 An unusually chilly breeze blew through Savannah Central that day. Felicity glanced up to the sky as she trudged down the sidewalk. Heavy clouds hung dark and ominous, promising a cold autumn  storm.

 "Jack honey, don't wander too far." She called to her son. The young joey looked back and halted mid-bounce, waiting for her to catch up.

 "Sorry Mum." he apologized. "I was thinking about that bear." He kicked a dirt clod huffily. Taking his paw, Felicity sighed. She had been called in for a job interview at a local diner, but the owner had turned her down.

 "I can't afford to hire a cripple, much less some fox that would steal anything not nailed down." he had said. The indignity of it all still rankled the vixen. At least she still had her main job. Looking around the neighborhood, her ears twitched. This was one of the more slummy neighborhoods in the district; barred and boarded up windows overlooked overgrown yards, trash spilled from overflowing garbage cans and the broken down fences were riddled with graffiti. Shaking her head, Felicity quickened her pace. The sooner she got Jack out of this dump, the better. He was only 10, too young to be exposed to a place like this. A cold wind made her shudder.

 "Zip your coat up sweetheart. It's gonna rain." No sooner had Jack tugged his zipper up to his chin than fat raindrops began to fall, splattering the sidewalk. within seconds, it had become a complete downpour, soaking the street and everything in sight. Felicity quickly pulled an umbrella from her purse as they ran for the bus stop. Felicity didn't even bother stepping into the shelter; one sniff told her some one had been using it as some sort of urinal. She herded Jack away from the shelter and closer under the wide umbrella. A moment later, she felt Jack tug her sleeve.

 "Mum, Look!" he said quietly, pointing to a house behind them.

 In a small yard of dead grass sat a rhino calf, only 6 years of age at best. His clothes were dirty, ragged, and several sizes too big. His face was thin, making his eyes seem overlarge in his peaky little face. He looked up at the sky, blinking at the rain that fell into his eyes, then looked to the door of the dilapidated house.

 "How come he doesn't get out of the rain?" Asked Jack. Felicity checked the bus schedule. The bus wasn't due for another 20 minutes...

 "Let's go see." she replied.

 The pair stepped through the gateless gap in the chain link fence, approaching cautiously. The calf looked up, but remained where he was. Felicity could see him shivering , and no wonder! It was the middle of fall and the boy was wearing a threadbare t-shirt. Even more distressing was how thin the boy was. With the pouring rain plastering the shirt to his body, she could see the faint ridges of his ribs. Jack squatted down on his haunches in front of the calf.

 "Hey, how come you're not going inside?" he asked boldly. The calf paused a moment before answering.

 "Not allowed."

 Felicity knelt down, smiling kindly and sheltering the children with the umbrella.

 "I'm Felicity, and this is my son, Jack. Who're you?" she asked.

 "Danny." the little bull grunted. Jack's ears flicked forward curiously.

 "What do you mean Not Allowed?" he asked. "It's your house isn't it?"

 "Mommy's sleepin'." Danny replied quietly. "I gotta stay outside when she's asleep."

 Alarm bells started ringing in Felicity's brain. As Danny hugged himself tighter to ward off the cold, she noticed a faint dusky mark on his wrist. More red flags flew as she discretely looked him over; more marks were on his arms and legs, and a few more were half hidden under his shirt collar. A small gurgle reached her ears over the pounding rain, and Danny clutched his sunken belly. Felicity's heart clenched painfully. Suddenly, inspiration struck.

 "Jack, did you finish your lunch today?" she asked brightly. The joey looked at her in confusion.

 "No mum, I saved half my-OH!" He practically ripped off his backpack and pulled out a bright green lunch box. Pulling out half a sandwich and a container of raspberries, he held them out to Danny. "Here, you can have it!"

 Danny looked surprised, glancing between Felicity and Jack nervously. Felicity gave him a kind, motherly smile.

 "Go ahead and eat dear. jack, hold the umbrella, okay? I'm just going to talk to Danny's mother." As Danny devoured the sandwich, crusts and all, Felicity strode up to the front door and gave three firm knocks. It took two more tries before she heard the deadbolt shift. The vixen felt a hot surge of fury. The door had been locked the whole time?! What kind of parent was this woman?

 She soon got her answer as the door opened slightly, held by a chain lock. A strong smell of alcohol, filth and unwashed mammal blasted her nose. An unkempt rhino cow blearily blinked and glared at Felicity.

 "Whaddya want?" she slurred. Felicity forced down her anger  and smiled, trying to seem as harmless as possible.

 "Pardon me Ma'am. My son and I were just passing by when the rain caught us and we noticed your son. I understand you were asleep, so you couldn't have known how cold it is, but perhaps you could let him inside? It's a bit chilly out here for such a young boy." The rhino snorted.

 "He's fine where he is. Now mind your own business."

 "But-"

 "Listen fox, unless you're with Calf and Family Services, you got no right to tell me how to raise the brat. Hit the road."

 Felicity felt her hackles rise as she fought not to snarl.

 "Madam, That poor baby is cold and hungry! What kind of unfeeling, irresponsible mother are you?!"

 "I ain't got time for this. You think you can be a better parent? Fine, take the runt. I don't give a damn."

 SLAM!!!

 Felicity was left staring at the door in shock. She numbly returned to the children, her mind trying to process how anyone could do such a thing. Danny looked up at her mournfully, his lips stained red with raspberry juice.

 "I'm not getting inside, am I?"

 Felicity tried to speak, to offer some comfort, but her throat constricted around her words. Silently, she took off her coat, setting it around the boys shoulders and wiping his mouth with a handkerchief.

 "Felicity!"

 The vixen looked up at the call, seeing a police cruiser on the street. Her older sister Gloria was climbing out, followed by a large bull Rhino.

 "Glo? what are you doing here?"

 "We got a call about a possible abuse case. What are you doing here?"

 Felicity rapidly launched into an explanation, watching as both officers expressions morphed from confusion to shock, to disgust and finally to anger. The rhino glared at the house, his small ears falling back.

 "So...what's going to happen now?" asked Felicity. Gloria sighed, running a hoof over her broad muzzle.

 "It's for Calf and Family services to figure out. They'll find the kid's dad or a suitable guardian and take the mother to court. Right McHorn?"

 McHorn was silent, his gaze now fixed on Danny, whose head was resting on his knees.

 "McHorn? Hey, earth to Hornhead!" Gloria snapped her fingers under the rhino's nose, startling him from his thoughts.

 "Ah! Sorry Kiboko, I was thinking. I mean, do we really have to call CFS? The kid is traumatized enough."

 "Well, unless you know the kid's old man, we have no choice. He can't just sit here in the cold!"

 "What about her?" McHorn asked. "You're always going on about how great she is as a mom, and she doesn't seem to care about species. Let her take him!"

 "Achoo!"

 Everyone looked around as the calf sniffled and wiped his nose on his grubby shirt. Felicity pulled out her handkerchief again and wiped him up.

 "Could we continue this argument out of the rain? This baby needs a good meal and some warm clothes." She said gently. Gloria sighed and gestured to the cruiser.

 "Get in, we'll give you a ride home.

 

 An hour later, Danny was wrapped in a warm blanket and spooning down a hot bowl of macaroni and cheese in front of the TV with Jack. Felicity gave him a warm smile before turning her attention to the two officers sipping coffee at her small kitchen table.

 "Okay, down to brass tacks here." Said Gloria firmly. "McHorn, what's your issue with CFS? Why'd you suggest letting Felicity look after the kid?"

 "I just don't want him going into foster care." McHorn huffed. "We've seen enough cases to know what a hel-"

 "You cuss in front of my nephew and I'll castrate you myself McHorn." Gloria warned.

 "Hhhhorrible experience it is. He'd be better off out of it. Even with a fox."

 "I choose to take that as a compliment. said Felicity coolly, sipping her tea. "But unless I have one or both parent's permission, that's abduction. I can't afford that on my record."

 "Kera told you to take him! That's permission!" McHorn pleaded.

 "You know that wouldn't hold up in court, she was clearly blasted." Gloria sighed, then paused. "Hold up....We were never told her name. How'd you know it?" McHorn stammered and fumbled for an answer. A little lightbulb went off in Felicity's head.

 "Jack, why don't you and Danny go play in your bedroom? You can take your dinner with you." she said quickly. jack hopped up, tugging Danny along with him.

 "Okay Mum! C'mon Danny, we can play Colossal Mammal! Uncle Roscoe got me the newest action figure last month!" As soon as she heard the bedroom door close, Gloria looked at her sister.

 "Uh, Feli, Mind clueing me in on what just happened?"

 "I just thought the incoming conversation would be a bit too mature for little ears. I'm sure McHorn doesn't want his son hearing the sordid details of his origins."

 McHorn folded his arms, grumbling under his breath.

 "Damn fox."

 "That boy is yours?!" Hissed Gloria. "How? When?!"

 "It was at a party...I'd had too much to drink and she didn't seem so bad through the beer goggles I was wearing at the time."

 "And being that loaded, neither of you even considered the issue of protection, right?" Asked Felicity. McHorn nodded.

 "She tracked me down a week or two later and told me she was pregnant. She was ranting about how I had to marry her to make things right. I was only a year out of the academy, i couldn't handle a wife and kid!"

 "So you just abandoned her? Jeeze McHorn, I thought you were better than that! No wonder she got into drinking!" Snorted Gloria. McHorn slammed his fist on the small table angrily, sending a large crack snapping through the wood.

 "She was a drunk way before me or the boy!" he snapped. "After I shook her off, I did some digging on her; the woman has a rap sheet taller than Francine! Public intoxication, petty theft, drug deals, prostitution! I wasn't gonna waste half my paycheck on a mess like that! Besides, I didn't think she'd actually have the kid! She had four different abortions on her medical records already, I thought she'd do the same thing again!"

 "But she didn't." Gloria rumbled accusingly. "She had your son and treated him like trash. Dress it up however you want Mchorn, but this whole mess is at least partly on your shoulders."

 "I KNOW!!!" The bellow made Felicity jump as the bull hung his head, breathing hard. His voice dropped to a whisper. "I know...."

 "Mum!" The frantic shout from the bedroom sent Felicity rocketing out of her chair in a blur of red fur. Gloria and McHorn followed, skidding to a halt at the doorway of the room.

 Danny was on the floor, curled into a ball with his hooves over his ears, eyes wide but unseeing and his breath coming in shallow, shuddering gasps. Jack was hugging him gently, trying to haul him upright.

 "He heard the banging and yelling and got like this! I think it's a panic attack." He explained. Felicity moved quickly, Lifting the calf and hugging him to her chest. (quite a feat considering that Danny was almost the same size she was!)

 "Gloria, go and get a glass of water from the kitchen. Jack, another blanket please." she ordered, her voice low and soothing. "Easy now Danny, It's okay. I need you to breathe with me, okay? Come on baby, slow deep breaths. You're okay, no more yelling, you're safe." she kept up a steady murmur of encouragement, wrapping him in the quilt Jack pulled from the top bunk. When Gloria returned with the water, she encouraged him to take a few slow, small sips. McHorn felt a sharp pang of guilt.

 "This is exactly why I can't take him." He rumbled. "I have a short temper, I'd just wind up sending him into this state constantly. He deserves better than that. You've got better instincts for this kind of thing." Felicity remained quiet, rocking Danny slowly and rubbing his back. McHorn knelt, looking at her pleadingly.

 "If it's the legal stuff you're worried about, I'll take care of it. All of it. And I'll send money to help out, I promise. Just please....say you'll look after him?"

 Felicity looked between the massive male and the calf clinging to her shirt. Jack tugged at her sleeve.

 "I don't mind having a little brother Mum." he said, patting Danny's back. "I can look after him after school and I'll share my toys." For a few moments, the room was silent, anticipation hanging heavily in the air. Then, Felicity sighed and tucked the quilt a little tighter around Danny.

 "Alright, he can stay. You'll have to take the top bunk now Jack. Danny will be needing the bottom one."

 That night, long after McHorn and Gloria had left, Felicity was tucking Danny into his newly made bed as Jack climbed into his bunk.

 "There we go, snug as a bug in a rug." Felicity smiled. "Are you warm enough, do you need more blankets?" Danny shook his head. He'd never had his own bed before. It had amazed him when Felicity had told him all these blankets and pillows were for him! For the fourth time that evening, he asked

 "Do I have to go back to mommy's house in the morning?" Felicity shook her head.

 "No sweetie, you don't ever have to go back there. You're going to be staying with us from now on." she gave a patient little smile. She knew he was only asking over and over to try and reassure himself. Danny snuggled down into the quilts with a little yawn.

 "You'll like it here Danny!" said Jack, hanging his head over the edge of his bunk. "Mum makes the best suppers, and she's really nice and I'm gonna be the best big brother ever, you'll see!"

 "Okay boys." Felicity chuckled, cutting Jack off before he could get too excited. "Time for all good little ones to board the Sleepy Train to Slumberland." She kissed Danny's forehead and stretched up to kiss Jack's before flicking off the light. As she moved to shut the door, Danny called out.

 "Mommy? Can you leave the door open just a little?" Felicity smiled and left the door ajar, a gleaming line of light shining through.

 "Of course Baby. Sweet Dreams"


End file.
